Glucose Threshold Suggested for Neonatal Hypoglycemia

(HealthDay News) — Neonatal hypoglycemia seems not to be associated with adverse neurologic outcomes when the condition is treated to maintain a certain blood glucose concentration, according to a study published online October 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Christopher J.D. McKinlay, PhD, from the Liggins Institute in New Zealand, and colleagues conducted a prospective study involving 528 neonates with a gestational age of at least 35 weeks who were considered to be at risk for hypoglycemia. Patients were treated to maintain a blood glucose concentration of at least 47mg/dL. Blood glucose was measured intermittently for up to seven days; interstitial glucose concentrations were monitored continuously and masked to clinical staff.

The researchers assessed 77% of eligible children. Of these, 53% had neonatal hypoglycemia (blood glucose concentration of <47mg/dL). When treated to maintain a blood glucose concentration of at least 47mg/dL, hypoglycemia was not associated with increased risk of the primary outcomes of neurosensory impairment (risk ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.75–1.2; P=0.67) and processing difficulty (risk ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.56–1.51; P=0.74). Children with unrecognized hypoglycemia did not have increased risks.

"In this cohort, neonatal hypoglycemia was not associated with an adverse neurologic outcome when treatment was provided to maintain a blood glucose concentration of at least 47mg per deciliter," the authors write.